Air-cushion for boot or shoe soles



02'94"? AU EX 01406 XR '5021190 (No Model.)

G. P. BUTTERFIELD.

AIR CUSHION PQR BOOT 0R SHOE SOLES. No. 302,190. Patented July 15,1884.

. State of Massachusetts,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

AIR-CUSHION FOR BOOT OR SHOE SOLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed November 5, 1893.

To @EL whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. BUTTER- FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stoneham, in the county of Middlesex and have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Cushions for Boot and Shoe Soles; and I do hereby de clare that the same are fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

This invention is in the nature of an iniprovement upon that for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 259,092 were granted to me .I une (i, 1582. In my former invention the sole, tap-sole, or heel of a boot or shoe was formed hollow or with an incl osed air-space, so as to provide a light yielding cushion or elastic tread. \Vhere such airspaees are very broad, it is desirable to provide intermediate elastic supports, in order that the yield by compression or displacement of the air may not take place all at one point, but may be distributed over the whole sole or heel.

My present invention therefore consists in an elastic boot or shoe sole, tap-sole, or heel formed hollow or with spaces to contain more or less of air, with intermediate supports between the top and bottom thereof, adapted to distribute the strain or pressure over thewhole surface, so that the air-spaces may not be collapsed.

In the drawings, Figure l shows in section a sole and heel, made hollow, except as filled with a cellular or spongy substance as a yielding intermediate support. Fig. 2 shows a shoe with the sole and part of the heel in sec- Patent No. 302,190, dated July 15, 1884.

(No model.)

tion, and provided with ridges or points as supports distributed through the airspace.

A is the elastic outer sole, and Il the licei, having air-spaces within them and yielding supports O, distributed in such spaces or subdividing them, so as to prevent collapse or Iundue approach of the top and bottoni of the sole or heel under pressure. These supports, as in Fig. 2, are points or ridges of the elastic material extending at intervals vertically across or nearly across theair-space, so as to keep the saine open,while affording an elastic tread. In Fig. 1 the supports are shown as of a cellular or spongy nature-such as coinniinuted felt or sponge-rubber-giving airspaces or connected openings between the portions ot material which keep thc.walls distended. These two forms of supports may be employed together by making wider spaces between the ribs or ridges of Fig. 2 and filling or partially filling tlieni with the cellular material shown in Fig. l. These yielding soles and heels will be secured to the boot or shoe as suggested in my former patent, or in any convenient manner.

I claim as my invention An elastic sole, tap-soie, or heel formed with an interior air-space subdivided by yield ing supports, substautiall y as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereto aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE F. BU'FERFIELD.

Witnesses:

A. H. SPENCER, E. A. PHELrs. 

